X-Rite 제품과 서비스를 관리하는 중앙 위치를 찾고 계세요? My X-Rite에서 확인하세요. 제품 정보나 지원, 서비스 세부 정보 또는 학습 리소스에 대한 액세스가 필요한 경우 몇 번의 클릭만으로 무료 온라인 포털을 이용할 수 있습니다. 연중무휴 24시간 액세스 가능: 컴퓨터나 모바일 장치에서 24시간 내내 개인 대시보드에 쉽게 액세스할 수 있습니다. 맞춤형 대시보드: 편리한 단일 위치에서 가장 중요한 정보들을 확인할 수 있습니다. 간편한 서비스 및 지원: 서비스 및 지원 티켓을 제출하고 추적할 수 있습니다. My X-Rite란 무엇인가? My X-Rite는 한 곳에서 장치를 관리하고, 주문 추적, 송장 확인, 서비스 및 지원 티켓을 모니터링할 수 있는 온라인 포털입니다. 맞춤형 대시보드를 사용하면 이메일이나 전화를 보내지 않고도 하루 24시간, 일주일 내내 컴퓨터나 모바일 장치에서 가장 중요한 정보를 확인할 수 있습니다. My X-Rit...

인쇄 산업의 여타 많은 부문과 마찬가지로 간판 및 디스플레이 그래픽 업체도 작업 시간 단축과 주기 시간 단축으로 인해 가장 효율적인 와이드 포맷 인쇄 작업을 적용해도 어려움을 겪을 수 있습니다. 컬러 관리형 RIP-to-Roll(또는RIP-to-rigid media) 워크플로우를 구현함으로써 위와 같은 작업에서 처음부터 끝까지 색상이 올바른지 확인하여 매장 작업 속도를 높이고 색상 기대치를 충족할 수 있습니다. Photo by Peter Saunders 오늘은 간판 및 디스플레이 그래픽 업체가 일관된 컬러, 낭비 축소, 출시 기간 단축, 고객의 행복과 충성도 제고 목표를 달성하는 데 도움이 되는 컬러 전문가의 팁을 공유하고자 합니다. 와이드 포맷을 위한 컬러 트레이드 요령 모든 컬러 관리형 워크플로우와 마찬가지로 컬러가 처음부터 정확하다면 프리프레스 작업 및 생산 과정을 거치면서 오류가 발생할 가능성이 줄어듭니다. 이 과정은 인쇄된 시안색, 마젠타색, 노란색 및 키/흑색(CMYK...

When it comes to color accuracy in the world of print and packaging, having the right tools at your disposal is crucial. We understand how overwhelming it can be to choose from a plethora of options. Fear not, for we’ve simplified your decision-making process. Here’s our list of top color match devices, each catering to different needs:   eXact™ 2 Handheld Spectrophotometer for Paper, Corrugated & Carton Boards Ideal for professionals working with paper, corr...

스타벅스가 4가지 새로운 축제용 컵 디자인으로 다시 한번 연말연시 시즌을 시작했습니다. 올해 스타벅스의 크리에이티브 디렉터인 크리스티 카메론은 “전통적인 할러데이 컬러를 향상하고 빨간색을 더욱 밝게 보이도록 만드는” 마젠타색 액센트로 우리를 놀라게 했습니다. 할러데이 시즌의 쇼핑의 열기 속에서 패키징은 잠재 구매자의 시선을 사로잡는 데 중요한 역할을 합니다. 그러나 경쟁 우위를 유지하고 브랜드 품격을 유지하면서 끊임없이 변화하는 소비자 선호도에 맞춰 패키징 디자인을 조정하는 일은 어려운 작업이 될 수 있습니다.  이미지 제공: Starbucks Stories & News   오늘은 브랜드 업체가 품질과 매력을 저하시키지 않고 할러데이 패키징디자인을 신속히 제작할 수 있도록 도와주는 몇 가지 주요 전략을 공유하겠습니다.   패키징 디자인을 신속히 전환하기 위한 5가지 전략 민첩성과 유연성 유지. 변화하는 시장 요구를 충족하...

Working in prepress holds a unique challenge. Even if your color workflow is tight, everything can fall apart if the customer’s file isn’t color managed. We’ve all seen it. You receive a file that the customer claims is ready to print, yet when you open it on your computer, the colors don’t look right at all. You can’t send it to print without knowing for sure, because you’re the one who will take the hit for wasted time and materials if it’s wrong....

If ensuring color consistency is part of your job description, you’ll want to learn more about PantoneLIVE. Our customers report that it helps them get products to market an average of four times faster! PantoneLIVE is an end-to-end, digital color communication ecosystem that helps everyone involved in a packaging workflow visualize and communicate color. It shows which colors are achievable, and which are not, across everything from flexible packaging to corrugated board. And, since the digital...

When all of final production packaging comes together on the store shelf, it’s a brand’s moment of truth. Do the stand-up pouches, overwraps, and corrugated POP displays match? How close is the color to its standard? We know you spend so much time and money designing, proofing, sampling, printing, and shipping… so where does the color go wrong? Is it an issue with accuracy, consistency, or both? Package designs come together on the shelf. Here you see pouches, labels, cartons, and corrugated wit...

What happens when you have more than 2,000 brand colors to manage across a complex global packaging supply chain? Things get complicated! Although it may seem easier to create a new color than to dig through databases or binders of color drawdowns to find the closest match, the problem comes later when you’re faced with a huge, unmanageable library. One of our clients, a well-known fast-moving consumer packaged goods (FMCG) company, understands how easily things can get out of control. They wer...

소비자의 선택에서 모든 것은 2~7초 안에 결정됩니다. 그렇습니다, 소비자는 이 짧은 시간 안에 자그마한 스냅샷을 보고 상품에 대한 대부분의 구매 결정을 내립니다. 바로 이것이 마케팅에서 흔히 거론되고 연구되어지는 "First Moment of Truth" (FMOT) 입니다.      FMOT에서 컬러는 매우 중요한 요소이며, 그 영향력을 생각해 볼 때, 컬러가 소비자의 주의를 끌고 소통을 해야만 합니다. 이 것이 바로 올바른 컬러가 만들 수 있는 영향력이며, 브랜드와 소비자 간의 관계에 매우 중요한 역할을 합니다.  브랜드 매니저 또는 패키징 디자이너로서, 많은 시간과 에너지를 쏟아 제품의 알맞는 얼굴을 제작합니다. 제품의 패키징과 언박싱은 제품 어필 그 자체에 추가되는 소비자와의 경험과 소통이 반복적으로 이루어집니다. 이것이 제품과 소통할 때마다 소비자 경험에서 일관성이 생기는 구성 요소 입니다. 특히 패키징 대량 생산의 경우 출력된 패키징...

When someone says “apple,” do you think red, green, or yellow? What do you do if a customer asks you to produce a color using descriptions that are not specific enough? Check out how something as seemingly simple as color communication can determine whether your color program succeeds or fails. A picture may paint a thousand words, but words alone do not paint a thousand colors. Circular conversations about color happen everyday. They generally start with someone asking for a sligh...

Does your quality control program include visual evaluation? If not, it should. Using the SpectraLight QC as part of a color evaluation workflow. No matter your industry, judging color is more than just measuring samples with a color measurement device. Just because a spectrophotometer says your color is within tolerance, doesn’t necessarily mean it will look right to the human eye. To minimize customer rejects, your color control process needs to include visual evaluation in a light boo...

제품 또는 포장 인쇄를 담당하는 사람이라면 누구나 오렌지와 같은 일부 색상은 CMY 잉크만을 사용하여 재현하기가 너무 어렵다는 것을 알고 있습니다. 네 번째 색상인 검은색(K는 키 컬러(Key color)를 의미)은 종종 감산 색상 인쇄 응용 프로그램에 추가됩니다. C+M+Y는 실제로 C, M, Y의 잉크 불순물로 인해 탁한 갈색을 만들기 때문에, 검은색 잉크를 별도로 첨가하면 CMY만으로는 달성할 수 없는 깊은 색과 톤이 생성되고, 게다가 그림자에 밀도가 더해집니다. 이러한 4색 인쇄를 CMYK라고 합니다. 이번 포스팅에서는 프린터가 CMY의 영역을 확장하여 잉크를 절약할 수 있는 다른 방법에 대해 알아보겠습니다. 인쇄기에 Gray component replacement (GCR) (GCR)와 스팟 컬러를 사용하면 더 선명하고 생생한 색상을 만들 수 있습니다. GCR & UCR 1980년대에 GCR (Gray Component Replacement)라고 ...

This time of year, the internet is full of Top 10 Countdowns. It’s a tradition we’ve embraced since 1940 when the Billboard published its first chart ranking the top selling recorded songs. Since then, others have jumped on the bandwagon to highlight the most popular trends of the previous year.   We’ve been publishing our top-read blogs since 2016, and we’re happy to see some educational topics like color perception, tolerancing, and spectrophotometers continue to r...

It’s important to ensure design intent is realized each time and everywhere a product appears. But with so many variables to impact print quality, how can brands utilize suppliers around the world and still achieve consistent color? Our X-Rite Pantone Packaging Color Experts have designed a series of consulting services and workshops to help you get the most from your print, packaging, plastic or textile value chain.   Offered both online and onsite, these interactive sessions i...

Digital technology is revolutionizing printing operations. However, as offset printers look for ways to improve quality, reduce costs, and increase productivity, the ink room is often overlooked. This is a big miss. If offset inks do not meet specifications, all the standardization efforts in the pressroom will be wasted. With the right tools, ink formulation can become an integral part of an end-to-end color workflow to reduce cycle time and increase profits. Today we'll outline an ideal digit...

분광측색계를 교정하는 이유는 무엇일까요? 대부분의 경우 오늘날의 측색 장비는 100% 디지털 방식입니다. 실제로 내부에는 전구를 제외하고는 아날로그 부품이 거의 없습니다. 이전의 아날로그 제품보다 더 안정적이지만 허용 오차가 훨씬 작으므로, 이러한 엄격한 사양 내에서 유지하려면 정기적인 분광측색계 교정이 필요합니다. 전구 안정성 장비를 사용하면서 전구를 계속 켜고 끄게 되므로 그 특성이 바뀌기 시작합니다. 분광측색계 보정은 전구의 이러한 빛 생산 능력의 변화를 보정합니다. 신중하게 보정하면 전구의 수명이 다할 때까지 몇 달 또는 몇 년 동안 장비를 안정적으로 유지할 수 있습니다. 타일과 렌즈 청결 장비 내부에는 정의된 흰색과 정의된 검정색이라는 두 개의 색 공간 포인트에 대한 설정이 있습니다. 애초에 공장에서 백색 교정 타일을 정의하기 위해 전체 반사율 곡선이 작성되었고, 검은색 트랩 내부의 검은색 포인트를 정의하기 위해 전체 반사율 곡선이 작성되었습니다. 흰색과 검은색의 정확한...

색상이 중요하다고 말하지만, 중요한 이유를 아세요? 사실 색상은 제조 공정에서 매우 중요한 요소입니다. 유감스럽게도 많은 제조업체는 올바른 컬러를 얻는 것이 예전보다 훨씬 어렵다는 것을 깨닫고 있으며, 그들이 거래하는 브랜드는 더 엄격한 허용오차를 충족하도록 요구하고 있습니다. 그 이유는 다음과 같습니다. 색상 기술의 발전(예: 메탈릭 포장, 펄 광택 피니시, 맞춤형 직물 및 생동감 있는 새로운 컬러)이 고객을 유혹하지만 일관성 유지 작업은 훨씬 어렵게 만듭니다. 예를 들어 복합 데크를 생각해보세요. 예전에는 회색 또는 갈색의 두 가지 선택이 있었습니다. 그리고 데크 전체에 조화가 있는 한 고객은 만족했습니다. 그러나 이제는 짙은 나뭇결 패턴과 이국적인 컬러 등 다양한 옵션이 있으므로 제조업체는 두세 가지가 아닌 수십 가지 색상을 관리해야 하며, 일관성을 유지하는 것은 훨씬 어렵습니다. 포장도 또 하나의 좋은 예입니다. 예전에는 인쇄된 상자를 배치했던 매장 진열대에 이제는 호일...

Metallized substrates like two-piece metal packaging are expensive to produce and make print color control a challenge. While many in the metal decorating sector are resistant to embracing color measurement, it is the fastest, most accurate and cost-effective way to produce consistent color across processing plants and achieve sustainability initiatives. Today we’ll discuss: The shortcomings of visual evaluation in a color control program, The components of a digital color solutio...

색상 관리는 이미징 워크플로우에서 각 장비를 식별하고 특성을 파악하여 모든 장비가 동일한 기준을 적용하도록 지원하는 프로세스입니다. ICC(International Color Consortium)에서 정의한 바와 같이 색상 관리 워크플로우는 측정에서 교정, 최종 출력에 이르기까지 예측 가능하고 일관되며 반복 가능합니다.   디지털 색상 관리를 사용하면 인쇄 워크플로우에 관련된 모든 사람들이 지정된 컬러 스펙트럼 값을 참조하고 진행 과정의 여러 단계에서 정확성을 확인할 수 있습니다. 디지털 색상 워크플로우 디지털 색상 관리를 적용할 경우 브랜드 기대치와 디자인, 잉크조색실, 프리프레스, 프레스 운영자 간의 편차를 줄여 좋은 품질을 보장합니다. 디자인 과정에서는 최종 재료에 재현할 색상을 정확히 지정하고 교정된 모니터 를 통해 달성된 결과물을 이해하는 것을 의미합니다. 잉크 조색실의 경우 올바른 색상을 신속히 배합 ...

컬러 관리는 종이, 직물, 세라믹, 투명 재료 등 다양한 소재에 새롭고 흥미로운 잉크를 적용하도록 폭발적인 기회를 야기했습니다. 이러한 새로운 애플리케이션으로 작업을 실행할 때 정확한 컬러를 유지하려면 모든 프린터와 잉크, 소재 조합에 대한 프린터 프로파일을 작성해야 합니다. X-Rite는 프로파일을 빠르고 쉽게 만들 수 있는 도구를 제공합니다. 컬러 관리 도구 i1Pro 3 Family 제품군은 거의 모든 인쇄 작업을 지원합니다. i1Pro 3 및 i1Pro 3 plus는 워크플로우의 모든 장치에 대한 프로파일을 생성할 수 있는 2가지 소프트웨어 패키지와 함께 제공되는 휴대용 분광측색계입니다. 매끄러운 용지에 인쇄하세요? i1Pro 3가 적합합니다. 특수 인화지, 비닐, 직물, 투명 필름, 골판지 또는 백라이트 재료에 인쇄하세요? 가장 정확한 프린터 프로파일을 생성하는 데 필요한 모든 컬러 데이터를 캡처하려면 더 큰 측정구가 있는 i1Pro 3 Plus ...

When customers are just getting started with color management, they often ask, "What is the difference between a spectrometer and a spectrophotometer?". With such a minute spelling difference, it's easy to make a quick typo and get the wrong answer for this color question. So...what's the difference? Spectrometers vs. Spectrophotometers    What is a Spectrophotometer? A spectrophotometer is a color measurement device that is used to capture and evaluate color on just about anything, in...

In this series we’ve been discussing the many factors that impact how we see color, and what we can do to ensure the color we see is accurate. Light, retinal fatigue and background effects can influence our perception of color. Today we’ll look at the limitations of the human eye and brain, and talk about how to detect these characteristics, especially for individuals responsible for evaluating and judging color. Are YOU color deficient? Read on to find out. (Spoiler alert: There’s a test at the...

There are many things that affect our ability to see color. In some cases, it doesn’t matter if the red you see is the same shade I see. A barn is a barn, right? But for those who work in an industry where color evaluation is part of the job, it IS important… VERY important. In our color perception series, we’re discussing the many factors that affect how we see color and what colorists can do to ensure that the color they see is the color they are supposed to see. Today we’ll take a closer look...

How many trial and error steps does it take you to formulate a color? If you answered more than three, it might be time to enlist the help of a computerized solution. Computer-aided color formulation can bring huge benefits to your business. Out of the gate, even beginners can hit color targets faster, saving time, money and expensive colorants. Once you have established an accurate method, you can expect to match 95% of your color formula requirements within a reasonable color distance on the f...

We’re very excited to announce the launch of our eXact 2 spectrophotometer! With innovative new features like an on-board high-resolution camera, integrated scanning wheels, and software connectivity (just to name a few), this device is going to be a game changer for printers, converters, and ink suppliers. Available in three models, you might be wondering which eXact 2 is right for you. This blog lays out the differences between the eXact 2, eXact 2 Xp, and eXact 2 Plus to help you decid...

Are you wondering if the new eXact™ 2 is right for your shop? Today we’ll break down the top device, software, and support features for printers and converters to help you decide.   eXact 2 Device Enhancements for Printers and Converters First, let’s lay out the main hardware differences between eXact 1 and eXact 2. 30% Larger, Tiltable Screen with Double the Resolution. While this may not sound like a huge deal, if you’re measuring press sheets all day, y...

L&E International, Ltd is a global provider of sustainable, innovative packaging solutions. As a certified packaging supplier for adidas, Verizon, Amazon (APASS vendor in Asia), Target, and many other brands and retailers, L&E maintains and upholds strict brand color standards across multiple countries and locations of manufacture.  Last year, L&E selected X-Rite digital color workflow solutions to maintain their high color matching expectations. We are excited to be working wit...

Are you wondering if the new eXactTM 2 is right for your ink kitchen? Today we’ll break down the top device, software, and support features for ink suppliers to help you decide.  eXact 2 Device Enhancements for Ink Suppliers First, let’s look at the main hardware differences between eXact 1 and eXact 2.  30% Larger, Tiltable Screen with Double the Resolution. While this may not sound like a huge deal, if you’re measuring drawdowns all day, you’ll...

Asda brand packaging is printed globally across a variety of suppliers, print processes, and substrates. With a small team of print specialists, it was impossible and impractical for Asda to attend even a small percentage of press passes across all suppliers to validate print quality. Seven years ago, Asda adopted the X-Rite Pantone ColorCert Suite, a digital color program to help them streamline approvals and deliver brand presence and quality assurance on the shelf across their primary and se...

As the range of substrates, inks, and printing technologies has expanded, so has the challenge of maintaining color quality for brands and printers. A workflow based on digital standards is the easiest way to achieve accuracy and consistency across shifts and sites, regardless of production requirements. Adding a quality control solution like ColorCert® to your workflow can boost your bottom line even more. What is ColorCert? ColorCert is a modular, job-based solution that streamlines color ...

With more consumer package goods (CPG) brands implementing packaging quality control programs to monitor color tolerances, converters and package printers need color measurement solutions that integrate directly with reporting systems. Our IntelliTrax2 Pro and eXact Auto-Scan Pro Scanning Solutions combine the power of our industry-leading automated scanning devices with the power of our end-to-end software solutions to meet the needs of brands, packaging converters, and commercial printers alik...

There are many things that affect what we see. Optical illusions aren’t just fascinating; they teach us about how we visually perceive our surroundings. In our Color Perception Series, we shared some of the factors that affect how we see color and the impact it has on manufacturing. In honor of April Fools' Day, we’re taking a closer look at some of the ways our brain, eyes, and the environment can influence what we see. April Fool #1: Your Brain Let’s start with the power of t...

Quality control is an important aspect of any color workflow. While many of our customers use a handheld spectrophotometer for QC, there are times a benchtop spectrophotometer is a more appropriate choice. Today we’ll explore some of the reasons you might want to choose a benchtop for quality control and offer tips to ensure your QC workflow is the best it can be. Top 5 Reasons to Choose a Benchtop Spectrophotometer for Quality Control 1 - Your Color Tolerances are Tight While our handhel...

Are your customers rejecting shipments due to incorrect color? Are you identifying color issues during quality control? If your bottom line depends on color accuracy, you need to ensure your spectrophotometer is not the cause. Color drift is a big issue for a lot of companies. Even worse, many don’t even know it’s happening. Here are some ways to make sure your spectrophotometer is operating within specification to always capture accurate and consistent measurement data. Causes of Sp...

Light booths provide a controlled environment for judging color under different lighting conditions. They can help visually evaluate how different types of light will affect the perception of color, evaluate the color of raw materials before and after production, and ensure different components will remain uniform once they’re assembled.   But not all light booths are the same. With NIST traceability and ISO 17025 accreditation, X-Rite offers worldwide competence in calibration, cert...

The best way to visualize how color will react in real world lighting conditions is to use a quality light booth. Traditional light booths contain common illuminants like daylight, incandescent, and fluorescent to replicate how color will look in the retail store and post-purchase in outdoor and home lighting. Today, the increased use of LED lamps in home, commercial, and retail environments is impacting decades of standardized lighting procedures.   How LED is Changing the Game LED li...

Color Matching Software for Retail Paint In the retail paint environment, customer service is key. When a customer brings a paint sample to the counter for a custom match, formulas must be accurate and formulation time must be fast. The faster and more accurately you can match customer paint samples, the more likely they will return with future business. With the right equipment, you can empower your paint counter associates to be true color matching experts and convert your paint department in...

The flexography method of printing uses rotary flexible plates to print directly on the substrate in a single pass. These inked plates are wrapped around cylinders on a web press and rotate at a fast speed to transfer ink. This type of printing is ideal for large quantities and long print runs with a continuous print, such as wallpaper and gift wrap. A flexographic printing press can use a variety of solvent-based, water-based, or UV curable inks. It also adapts well to different materials and ...

In a perfect world, you should be able to put ink in the press and simply run a job. Unfortunately, every year flexo and gravure printing operations waste ink, substrate and press time trying to get color right. Although advancements in technology have made it easier to achieve color accuracy, the variables that affect color still exist. In this three-part series, we're sharing over two dozen reasons your color might be wrong on press. If you missed the first article - Instrumentation - check i...

In a perfect world, you should be able to put ink in the press, run a job, and achieve color consistency. Unfortunately, every year flexographic and gravure printing operations waste ink, substrate, and press time trying to get color right. Although advancements in technology have made it easier to achieve color accuracy, the variables that affect color still exist. In this three part series we’ll share over two dozen reasons your color might be wrong at press side. Today’s topic lo...

In a perfect world, you should be able to put ink in the press and simply run a job. Unfortunately, every year flexo and gravure printing operations waste ink, substrate and press time trying to get color right. Although advancements in technology have made it easier to achieve color accuracy, the variables that affect color still exist. In this three-part series, we’re sharing over two dozen reasons your color might be wrong on press. We’ve already covered two important factors &nda...

The International Standards Organization has defined ISO 12647 as a set of Graphic Arts standards for printing. Included are eight parts: Part 1:  Print parameters and measurement methods Part 2:  Offset lithographic processes Part 3:  Coldset offset lithography on newsprint Part 4:  Gravure printing Part 5:  Screen printing Part 6:  Flexographic printing Part 7:  Proofing processes working directly from digital data Part 8:  Validation print processes wo...

  Extended Gamut Printing Increased product variation and lean manufacturing demands are forcing converters to work quicker and more cost-efficiently. Implementing extended gamut printing, also called fixed color palette printing, is a great way for brand owners and designers to specify achievable color, and for converters to reduce press setup time, produce smaller lot sizes, and increase press efficiency. In this video, X-Rite Pantone Color Expert Mark Gundlach explains extended color g...

Color measurement is used to specify, quantify, communicate, formulate, and verify color quality for color critical work. Because everyone perceives color differently, color measurement is more precise than visual evaluation.  How to Measure Color Wavelength To measure color, a color measurement device called a spectrophotometer shines light onto a sample and captures the amount of light that is transmitted or reflected in the 380 nm to 780 nm wavelength range, which is the wavelength rang...

Learn about light, reflection curves, optical brighteners, and more.     Illuminants Electro magnetic radiation in the wavelength range from 380 nm to 730 nm is seen as light by our eyes. Low wavelengths show as blue light, then the spectrum continues from green to yellow, orange, and red. UV radiation is located in the range below 380 nm; the range above 730 nm is called infrared radiation. The visual impression of a colored body changes by the composition of the incoming light. ...

ICC color management means having a workflow that is predictable, consistent, and repeatable from capture through proofing to final output. To achieve a color managed workflow, you need to calibrate your devices and create an ICC profile for every component, including the camera, monitor, projector, scanner, and printer.   Why Calibrate and Profile? For the best color results, you need to calibrate each device that is contributing to your workflow to ensure it is accurately reproducing colo...

X-Rite Pantone has been working with Asda for several years, supporting the implementation of ColorCert, a digital color program to achieve time and cost savings and deliver brand presence and quality assurance on shelf. We recently published a case study that explains how digital color has helped Asda improve color and consistency scores by 200%. We encourage you to download the case study to learn more. With a tried and proven color management model in its Food and Non-Edible categories, Asda ...

COVID-19 has forced many companies to rethink the way they communicate, approve, and produce color.  For some, that means trying to conduct “business as usual” from a remote location. For others, it means finding ways to manage color without travel. Either way, we know our customers are doing everything they can to sustain business while keeping their employees healthy and safe. We want to help. Over the past few months we’ve been adding new resources to our virtual resou...

The Pantone Color of the Year announcement is always exciting. Not only does it set the stage for upcoming trends, it also provides brand owners and designers critical guidance for marketing and product development. However, those who are charged with manufacturing products and packaging with trending colors (like 2021's Ultimate Gray and Illuminating) know it doesn’t “just happen.” It takes time and effort to incorporate new colors. Whether you work in paints, plasti...

팬톤 컬러 연구소(Pantone Color Institute)에서 올해의 컬러로 PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating 을 선정하여 발표하였습니다. Pantone Color of the Year 2021.   팬톤 컬러 연구소에 따르면 , PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating 이 두 컬러는 강인함과 희망을 결합하는 지속적이고도 고무적인 메시지라고 설명하였습니다. 일루미네이팅(Illuminating)은 밝고 명랑한 노란색 스파클링으로 생동감이 넘치고, 빛 에너지가 깃든 따뜻한 노란빛 쉐이드입니다. Ultimate Gray는 견고하고 신뢰할 수 있는 요소를 상징하며, 이는 지속적이며 견고한 기초를 제공합니다. 이 두 가지 독립적인 색채는 희망찬 컬러 페어링을 이루어 더욱 사려 깊은 느낌과 햇빛 가득한 날의 긍정적인 약속을 나타냅니...

Black Friday. Not only is it the much anticipated start to holiday shopping, it’s also a day manufacturers have been preparing for all year long. Whether mass-producing holiday cards, candy canes, plastic toys, or festive clothing, accurate color is a must. Manufacturers can’t ship two of the same toy if they won’t match on the showroom floor, and holiday sweaters that are a shade off will end up at a discount store instead of a fashion boutique. Perfection is especially import...

Sustainability is a top priority for large consumer packaging organizations. To be sustainable means considering the needs of our environment and future generations by looking for ways to reduce waste throughout production. Not only is it socially responsible, but consumers often consider a brand’s sustainability practices when making more conscious purchasing decisions.   Of course, working toward sustainability doesn’t change the importance of establishing brand identity on th...

How much time, paper, and ink do you waste re-printing images because the color isn’t right? Before you blame your printer, consider your monitor. When you work on an un-calibrated and un-profiled monitor, you can’t trust the colors you see on-screen, making it hard to make good editing decisions. Luckily, monitor calibration and profiling is a breeze with i1Profiler software. i1Profiler comes with i1Basic Pro 3 and i1Basic Pro 3 Plus. Wizard-based, it walks you through every st...

Softproofing – the ability to simulate how an image will appear in print right from your monitor – can save a lot of time and effort in your printing workflow. Although many photographers already rely on it, anyone who designs, approves, prepares or prints brand and color-critical images can also benefit. With softproofing, designers can create with actual specified colors (no more trial and error!), project owners can approve layouts without physical proofs (predictable color!), and...

As brand owners compete to make packaging stand out, commercial and flexible packaging converters and label printers are charged with achieving accurate color – on unique substrates – with shorter print runs. Many spend a lot of time mixing ink, then end up throwing it away when the color isn’t right. Others mix ink, store it, and spend way too much time trying to reuse it for future print runs.  If you’re stuck in this cycle, you’re essentially paying for ink...

성공적인 품질관리 프로그램을 구축하기 위해서는 우수한 계측기, 강력한 소프트웨어, 숙련된 사용자가 필요합니다. 그러나, 모든 것이 갖춰져 있더라도, 색 품질을 분석하기 위해 분광측색계를 사용할 때 주의해야 하는 함정이 있습니다. x-rite Ci7800 벤치톱 분광측색계로 플라스틱 부품 측정 모습. Top 5 색상 측정 함정  1. 불량 표준 및 샘플 (Bad Standards and Samples) 물리적인 표준과 샘플은 영구적인 것이 아닙니다. 부주의한 취급과 오염된 장비들로 인해 표준과 샘플이 빠르게 손상될 수 있습니다. 다음은 불량 샘플을 피하기 위한 네 가지 팁입니다: 물리적 표준을 생성할 때 동일한 배치에서 여러 개의 샘플을 수집하여 샘플이 동일한 음영인 지 확인하십시오. 작업 중인 표준 손상 시, 폐기 후 백업 샘플로 교체하십시오. 샘플 준비 절차를 표준화, 문서화 그리...

보정된 디스플레이는 사진 전문가들만을 위한 것이 아닙니다. 온라인에서 감성 사진을 검색하거나, 이메일로 컬러 샘플을 주고 받는 경우, 또는 공급자와 고객 간에 색상 파일을 주고 받는 경우 화면에 표시되는 색상을 신뢰할 수 있도록 디스플레이를 보정하고 프로필을 생성해야 합니다.     모니터 교정(Calibration)을 이야기할 때 많은 사람들이 조도, 휘도, 밝기를 혼동해서 사용하는 경우가 많지만, 사실 그 셋은 같지 않습니다. 여기 디스플레이를 올바르게 보정하고 프로파일을 생성하기 위해 알아 두어야하는 사항들이 있습니다.   조도(Illuminance)란? 조도는 빛의 양 또는 표면 위에 떨어지는 빛의 흐름입니다. 조도의 측정 값은 ㎡ 당 lumen(1lm/㎡)또는 lux(1lx) 럭스 단위를 사용합니다.     휘도(Luminance)란? 휘도는 주어진 영역과 방향에 투영된 발광 강도입니다.일반적으로 휘도는 광원에서 방출되...

Whether you’re producing textiles, automotive parts, or plastic pieces, color needs to remain consistent or the final product will be rejected. Unfortunately, there are many ways for color errors to creep in during manufacturing. Creating and using accurate digital color standards is one way to combat these errors. Digital color standards can be used in software to specify and communicate color, formulate colorants and raw materials, and control color quality. They give brand owners peac...

As digital printing continues to grow, many printmakers are moving beyond traditional media to create artwork on substrates like wood, acrylic, textiles, and backlit materials. While the results can be beautiful, achieving exceptional print quality on these materials can be challenging.   Enter the i1Pro 3 Plus. With its large aperture, polarization and transmissive capabilities, this new member of X-Rite’s i1Pro Family can create color profiles for substrates that are otherwise ...

Reflective surfaces and metallic inks are very popular for printing and packaging applications. Consumers love the look; but for printers, these substrates and inks are expensive and make color control a challenge. Today we’re taking a look at the measurement options available for controlling these very marketable print and packaging applications to help printers and converters meet brand owner expectations and maintain the highest possible quality output. Sphere vs. 45°:0° - ...

There are different levels of process control that are used for print. While visual comparisons can be used to provide a rudimentary judgment of a match, they can be very subjective, and thus not very accurate, or repeatable.  Using a densitometer can provide quantitative actionable feedback for the press operator. This can include measurements of solid ink density, tone value increase (also known as dot gain), Ink Trap, and other print characteristics. These are known as mechanical print c...

No matter the industry, our customers are all working toward the same goal: Achieve accurate color and keep production moving. Even in the best conditions, color data can be a challenge to capture and share. COVID-19-related travel bans and social distancing guidelines are making it harder than ever.    Today we’ll share three easy ways to remotely share color data so you can achieve your color goals without shipping physical samples or making onsite visits. The Benefits of Digit...

Flexible film does a lot more than protect goods on the store shelf. When done right, film packaging design can capture attention and increase product sales. But measuring color on film substrates can be challenging, even for the most sophisticated converter. Here's what you need to know to successfully control print color on flexible film. Does your film exhibit interference? When you measure flexible film with a traditional 45°:0° spectrophotometer, the way you position the instr...

Our customers who are now working remotely need to be aware that changing a small variable – such as approving color from home under a different light source, or emailing specifications instead of sending a physical sample – can introduce color issues that risk creating a larger color problem. The first and most critical stage to color control is accurate color communication. These resources will help you get started. The Importance of Color Communication Blog | Many color...

Spectrophotometers (“spectros” for short) are color measurement devices used to capture and evaluate color. As part of a color control program, brand owners and designers use them to specify and communicate color, and manufacturers use them to monitor color accuracy throughout production. Spectrophotometers can measure just about anything, including liquids, plastics, paper, metal and fabrics, and help ensure that color remains consistent from conception to delivery.   &nb...

Phone and computer screens are the window into the digital world of color, but if you are approving colors via email or text you need to be aware of the limitations.  For starters, each of your devices relies on a different color model to display color. Input devices – your camera and monitor – use the additive color model to display color. They start with darkness and add red, green, and blue light to create a spectrum of colors. Printers, on the other hand, use the s...

Does your quality control program include visual evaluation? Lighting plays a huge role in how we perceive color. It can help you verify whether the color of your product is acceptable and ensure it remains accurate in every possible lighting condition after purchase.     Many of our customers are finding visual evaluation to be even more important as they transition color reviews and approvals to a different location, such as in the home office or to another remote environmen...

So much goes into the way you perceive color, including light, genetics, the environment, human traits, and even fatigue. You may also be among the 1 in 255 women and 1 in 12 men who have some form of color vision deficiency. Our online color challenge is a fun way to better understand your color vision acuity.     Regardless of your color vision acuity, if you are communicating, evaluating, or approving color from a new location your eyes may trick you into making diff...

Color has always been a critical factor for our customers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many are now trying to design, specify, communicate and ultimately achieve accurate color from remote locations or with less staff and fewer resources. Are you having trouble maintaining your color program in this unprecedented time?  We've compiled our most popular resources – blogs, videos, whitepapers, webinars, and case studies – to help you connect with your supply chain and ...

G7® is a proof-to-print process control method that allows you to reliably and efficiently match the visual appearance of the output from multiple printing devices. It works by defining the gray balance and NPDC curves in conjunction with the traditional method of measuring tonal value increase (TVI/dot gain) for each color. G7 can be applied to any type of printing, regardless of the type of ink or printing method, including all types of digital, offset, flexo, gravure printing.   It&r...

지난번 포스팅을 통해 디지털 텍스타일 프린팅의 수요가 증가하는 이유와 이러한 시장의 변화가 디지털 프린팅 산업에 미치는 영향력 및 관련업체 종사자들의 당면과제들에 대하여 설명하였습니다. 이번에는 Onsight의 Digital Imaging Expert인 Scott Martin의 도움을 받아, 일관된 디지털 작업 흐름을 위한 디지털 텍스타일 프로파일링에 도움이 되는 팁과 도구를 공유하도록 하겠습니다.  비교적 부드러운 텍스처를 가진 직물의 경우에는, 기존의 디지털 프린팅 영역에서 사용되던 장비를 그대로 적용하는 것이 가능한 경우가 많습니다. 하지만, 표면 질감의 굴곡이 크거나 높은 표면 반사가 있는 직물(코팅된 캔버스)들은 기존 장비를 그대로 적용하는 경우 문제를 일으킬 수 있는 높은 가능성을 가지고 있습니다.    일반적으로 매끄러운 직물보다는 표면이 거친 텍스타일 상에서 색상의 일관성을 유지하는 것이 훨씬 어렵습니다. 또한 형광색상 계열의 표현은 좀 더...

잉크젯 프린팅 기술을 기반으로 한 디지털 프린팅 산업은 지금까지 오랜시간 동안 존재해왔지만, 현재 극적인 변화를 맞이하고 있습니다. 보다 높은 미디어 수용성 및 보존성을 가진 잉크의 등장과 정착방식의 개발이 이루어짐에 따라, 전통적인 미디어인 종이를 벗어나 이제는 텍스타일 프린팅에 점차 확대 적용 되어가고 있습니다. 이러한 텍스타일 프린팅 산업은 전통적인 생산 방식 대비 운용 효율 및 비용 절감 효과가 뛰어날 뿐만 아니라 다품종 소량생산에도 매우 유리한 장점을 가지고 있습니다. 그러나 이러한 급작스러운 산업 영역 및 패러다임의 변화는 디지털 프린팅 업체들이 그 경쟁력을 유지하기 위해 운영 방식을 변경 해야 한다는 것을 의미하기도 합니다.   Allied Market Research에 따르면 디지털 텍스타일 인쇄 시장은 2022년까지 전세계적으로 거의 400만 달러에 이를 것으로 예상하고 있습니다. 하지만 본인은 10억 달러 이상이 될지 않을까 추측하고 있습니다. 하...

인간의 색 지각에 관한 한 사람의 눈을 속일 수 있습니다. 이는 방대한 양의 정보를 관리하고 최선을 다해 처리하는 우리 두뇌의 속성에 부분적으로 기인합니다. 유전 및 환경과도 관련될 수 있으며, 우리 모두는 색을 약간 다르게 봅니다. 하지만 무엇보다도 빛(LIGHT)은 우리가 일상에서 보는 색상에 가장 큰 영향을 미칩니다.   지나치게 기술적 설명은 피하면서, 빛이 사람의 색 지각에 미치는 영향을 소개하겠습니다. RGB Color Circle 빛의 온도 우리가 무지개(RGBIV)로 알고 있는 가시 색상 스펙트럼은 약 380~720 나노미터의 빛 파장을 가지며 빨강, 녹색 및 파랑의 3원색으로 나뉩니다. 이 세 가지 색을 다양한 조합으로 혼합하여 수백만 가지의 아름다운 색을 만들 수 있는 것이죠. 모두 같은 양으로 혼합하면 흰색으로 인식됩니다.     이것은 가색(RGB) 모델의 기초이자 인간 색각의 기초입니다.   흰색은 색이 없는 것이 아...

지난 몇 년 동안 우리는 순환경제와 옴니채널 마케팅에 대해 많이 들어왔습니다. 이들 각각은 나름 하나의 트렌드이며, 빠르게 인쇄 산업에 수렴하고 있습니다. 2020년에 성공적인 상업 인쇄 비즈니스를 영위하기 위해서는 광범위한 인쇄 기능의 제공뿐만 아니라, 지속가능성에 대한 확신을 심어주고, 폐기물 감소에 대한 노력을 보여 주어야 할 것입니다.   순환경제와 옴니채널의 중요성 순환 경제의 목표는 낭비를 없애고 자원의 지속적인 사용을 극대화하는 것입니다. 폐기물과 오염을 최소화하기 위해 자원을 재사용, 공유, 수리, 재제조, 재활용하는 것에 중점을 두는 순환고리라는 개념입니다. 인쇄업계는 잉크, 재료, 생산 효율성, 폐기물 및 재활용을 고려하는 지속 가능한 녹색 인쇄 공정을 만드는 것이 당면 과제입니다.   옴니채널 마케팅1)이란 고객을 둘러싼 모든 접점에 걸쳐, 회사 메시지를 하나로 통합하고 고객 경험을 증대 키시는 것을 목표로 하는 마케팅 컨셉입니다. 이는 고객...

Durable goods and consumer electronics are no longer destined to be white, gray, and black. In fact, consumers are moving towards more classic colors and special effect finishes like metallics. To capitalize on this trend, brands need to bring innovative designs in new colors faster to market than ever before.   One trending color, the PANTONE Color of the Year 2020, is sure to capture the attention of durable good and consumer electronic brands. It is a simple, timeless, elegant, and endur...

The eXact is a handheld spectrophotometer with an intuitive touchscreen interface. Printers and packaging converters use it to control, manage, and communicate color from anywhere on the pressroom floor. It comes in a variety of models to fit every customer need, and can be upgraded as those needs change. With so many to choose from, it can be hard to know which eXact model is right for you. Today’s blog can help you decide. Explore by eXact Model eXact Basic Densitometer: If...

컬러리미터(색도계) 와 스펙트로포토미터(분광측색계) 는 색을 읽고 분석하고 평가하는 컬러 측정 장비입니다. 색상 측정 장비는 본래 의도했던 색상이 패키징, 플라스틱, 등에서 올바르게 나타나고 있는지 확인할 수 있도록 도움을 줍니다. 이러한 색상 측정 장비들은 겉으로 드러나지는 않지만 플라스틱, 텍스타일, 페인트, 코팅, 프린트 및 패키징 등 컬러가 중요한 산업군에서는 모두 사용됩니다.  색상 측정 장비는 크게 2가지 타입이 있습니다: 컬러리미터 (Colorimeters) & 스펙트로포토미터 (Spectrophotometers) 컬러리미터 (색도계)란?  컬러리미터는 인간이 색을 인지하는 방식을 모방한 방식으로 색을 측정합니다.  장비에서 방출하는 빛이 색을 측정해야 하는 물체의 표면에 반사되면, 장비의 RGB(빨강, 녹색, 파랑) 필터를 통과할 때의 값을 측정해 사람의 눈이 색을 보는 값에 매치(match) 합니다. &...

Inter-instrument agreement is a very important consideration when selecting color measurement devices for your workflow. Unfortunately, it’s such a technical topic that it leads to a lot of confusion about what it means and why it’s important. The Ci7860 sphere benchtop spectrophotomter is has an inter-instrument agreement specification of 0.06 average Delta E*, enabling brands to create the most precise master color standards. Today we’re making it as simple as possibl...

If you work in the print and packaging industry, standards can help you set clear expectations for clients, solve problems in your workflow, and improve productivity. They can also bring an independent perspective to production. Printers aren’t the only ones who should keep up with standards. Brands who are concerned with quality, price, and speed to market can also benefit because it allows them to compare print providers and choose the best candidate. The ISO and other standards organiz...

Controlling color on cylindrical-shaped items like cups, cans, and tubes is a challenge because it’s hard to properly align the measurement device with the sample. Many printers and manufacturers cut a piece from the finished product and lay it flat to take a measurement. While this method works, each sample takes time to cut, wastes product, and risks the safety of the employees who are cutting the samples.  A Faster, Safer Solution X-Rite’s Cup and Cylinder Fixture works ...

Are you wasting too much time and money on incorrect color? Even if you use the best color measurement tools available, your color will still fail without quality control. Quality control (QC) means verifying the color you specify is the same color you manufacture, throughout production. Setting up a QC program can help you accurately communicate color with clients and suppliers, inspect raw materials before you begin working, and verify your color is correct before you ship.   Five Impor...

Hitting offset lithographic color targets isn’t always fast or easy. The manual process of measuring color bars and making ink key adjustments takes time and opens the door to operator error. Meanwhile, the press is running (and wasting) paper and ink. To achieve accurate and repeatable color, printers need to convert their printing operation to an efficient manufacturing process and drive efficiencies in all phases of their operation. For many, a closed-loop automated solution is the...

Your customer rejected your latest shipment due to color.  You checked the color before you sent it and it passed tolerance…  You did everything the same way last time and it passed tolerance…  So why did it get rejected now? We get this question from our customers all the time.  The Dreaded “Error Stack” Color rejections create waste and increase production costs. Unfortunately, there are a lot of variables that contribute to the color you produce,...

For the last few Decembers, we’ve provided you with a list of “top color measurement blogs” for that respective year. As we reviewed this year’s list, we noticed that your favorite/ the most-read blogs could be categorized into a few buckets. So, without further ado, here’s 2018’s top blog topics!  2018’s Most Popular Color Measurement Topic: Tolerancing Not to our team’s surprise, Tolerancing – what it is/what it means for your busines...

Each year, Pantone announces its highly anticipated “Color of the Year”. The selection is intended to serve as a strategic direction for design and color-conscious industries as well as a conversation piece around our culture, where it is going and what we collectively need…and it certainly gets everyone talking about color!  Color is no longer just something we see and appreciate - it enhances and influences the way we experience life. Color, as a strategic element of d...

위도, 경도, 고도 등의 지리적 좌표와 같이 컬러 또한  L*a*b* 값을 사용하여, 정확한 색상 값을 지정하고 그것을 기반으로 커뮤니케이션을 할 수 있습니다. What’s the history of L*a*b*? 1940년대에, Richard Hunter박사는 3차원 공간 모델인 Lab을 개발하였습니다. 이 LAB 모델은 인식된 색상 차이를 동일한 공간영역으로 나타내기 위해 구성되었습니다. 31년후, CIE는 Hunter’s Lab의 업데이트 버전인 CIELab을 발표했습니다. CIELab을 올바르게 읽는 방법은 “see-lab” 또는 “L-star, a-star, b-star,” 이지만, 일부의 색상측정 장비나 어플리케이션은 간략화 하여 L,A,B 또는 Lab이라고 표기하기도 합니다. What does L*a*b* stand for?  어떠한 식으로 CIElab을 부르던, 더 중요한 것은 L*a...

Closed-loop color can mean something different to different audiences. When I first think about closed-loop color control, I may think about the pressroom, where it is really just a question of integrating measurements directly from the press, adjusting them, measuring and reporting, offering a nice closed-loop system that adjusts, controls, and allows me to report the results. But that’s really only one small aspect. You can incorporate a loop from the ink room, for instance, and bring t...

Warm weather is just around the corner and spring is in the air!   Fluffy yellow chicks…   Delicate pink tulips…   Soft green sprouts poking through the ground…   And, of course, spring M&M'S®! Advertisers target our springtime emotions through pastel colors. Pastels have a calming effect, and everywhere you look companies are using them to feed our desire to feel a bit of spring. Today we’ll take a look at the psychology of color, how marke...

The two most common spectrophotometers are the 0:45 and the sphere (aka diffuse/8°). We get a lot of questions about which is the best choice. Here’s the difference in how these two devices measure color, and guidelines for when to use each. 0:45 In a “fixed geometry” or “single angle” device, the first number is the starting point of the light, and the second number is where the light ends up after the reflection off the surface of the sample. In a 0:45 ...

For over a decade omni-channel has been a term used to describe digital and physical marketing. While many have strived to achieve an omni-channel strategy, unifying the digital and physical customer experiences have been an ongoing challenge for marketers. However, that may be changing. Advances in augmented reality (AR) can help to bring these two worlds together. Over the next few years, I believe we will see significant adoption of AR technology by brands and retailers as a way to engage con...

Using a light booth to visually judge color is a great start to a successful color evaluation program. It allows you predict how color will look under multiple light sources so there won’t be any color surprises when the light changes over the life of the product. Introducing a color measurement device to capture spectral data is the next logical step. For a really great color program, you need to use both a light booth AND a spectrophotometer. This dynamic duo offers benefits you can&rsqu...

The Pantone Color Institute just announced PANTONE® 18-3838 Ultra Violet as the Pantone Color of the Year 2018! This news is always exciting because it sets the stage for upcoming trends for everything from housewares to fashion to packaging design. In fact, we have already seen shades of Color of the Year used in packaging and graphic design by forward-looking brands in the CPG, luxury, and beauty worlds as well as by personalities and artists seeking to stand out. Part of butt...

You think you’re doing everything right, but your color isn’t consistent. Why? Through the years, designers have used many tools to help them specify color. Color swatches, style guides and product prototypes have been effective, but with the advent of the digital world, these physical tools are no longer enough. To be efficient, designers need to be SPECIFIC. X-Rite Pantone President Ron Voigt recently published an article in MediaPost that explains why. To be effective, designers n...

Color is our perception of reflected light across the visible spectrum. When light hits an object, it absorbs some rays and reflect others. The color of light that reflects back into our eyes is the color we perceive. The more light an object absorbs, the darker it appears. With black, very little light is reflected. Pure black in the presence of light wasn’t achieved until 2014 when Surrey NanoSystems announced the invention of Vantablack. This high-tech artificial substance absorbs 99....

We frequently get calls from customers who can’t figure out why their measurements vary, even when they’re using maintained devices. Why would a sample read one way one day, then slightly different another? Many times the culprit is thermochromaticity, and it becomes an even bigger problem as the seasons change. Every kind of material changes color with temperature. These changes cause the material to exhibit a shift in reflected wavelengths of light, which can alter our perception....

Have you ever sent out a job that passed your inspection, only to have the customer reject it for out-of-tolerance color? You recheck the data and the instrument says the color passed the agreed tolerance… why is the customer saying it doesn’t? We get a LOT of these conflicting measurement calls in technical support. The solution is simple – document a color control program that clearly defines how to assess color, then make sure everyone (including your customer) follow...

If you recently invested in a spectrophotometer or colorimeter, you know there’s a lot more to learn about color measurement than just how to use your new device. To help you begin exploring the exciting world of color, we’ve compiled seven blogs that explain how to set up your color measurement device, care for it, and use it to its maximum potential. 5 Tips for Setting Up Your Spectrophotometer Using a spectrophotometer (“spectro” for short) to measure color doesn...

Did you read our blog: Are You Using The Right Tolerancing Method? If not, check it out. Today we’re taking the topic one step further to investigate how tolerances are chosen in different industries. A pass-fail tolerance is the amount of color variation that is considered commercially acceptable. In part, tolerances are driven by customer expectations. While color tolerances are very tight in the automotive, plastics, and paint & coatings worlds, they can be much less strict in other...

With today’s complex cross-media campaigns, accurate profiling is even more important for managing customer expectations across the color supply chain. Our i1Pro 2 solutions help photographers, videographers, prepress and digital printers create profiles for the best color on monitors, scanners, projectors, printers, and online web-to-print submission tools. But with so many to choose from, how do you know which is the right tool for your color workflow? Whether you’re looking to add a new comp...

It’s been said that everything you need to know you learned in kindergarten. Does this phrase ring true for print and packaging designers? In the spirit of spring, we attempted to use a simple childhood activity—dyeing eggs—to solve some of the most perplexing color issues facing the packaging designer/printer relationship.                 Here are three lessons to learn about color in print and packaging from our annual egg dyeing ...

Consistent color is a journey. A few weeks ago I blogged about the most common pitfalls people run into when starting a color program… Wrong lighting Less-than-perfect color vision Inaccurate physical standards Inconsistent device color measurement …And introduced some inexpensive color tools to help overcome them.   But the journey doesn’t stop there. Even if you’ve been successfully managing color for years, advances in inks, dyes, and substrates are introducing new challen...

At X-Rite Pantone, we pride ourselves on our ability to help customers specify, communicate, formulate, and produce consistent color. You’re probably familiar with our major markets, like plastics, industrial coatings, and print & packaging. You may also be aware of the more “common” things we measure, like paint, printed surfaces, and textiles. But, as you look for the emergency exit on a plane, watch a butterfly float by, or choose the freshest package of cheese from the ...

At X-Rite Pantone, we love color, and we’re passionate about helping you get yours right. That’s why we offer a full-service training program, staffed with Color Experts from many of the industries we serve. From beginner to advanced, lowest investment to highest return, we offer a variety of options to teach you everything you need to know to be successful. Are you new to color, wondering where it fits in your business objectives? Do you already have a color workflow, but ...

If you didn’t catch my Industry 4.0: What Commercial Printers Need to Know article, you’ll want to check it out now. Today’s blog is a continuation, touching on the most interesting print color management tie-ins: PQX, iccMAX, mobile control and new materials. Here’s what on the horizon for color-managed workflows. Image courtesy of Esko.com. Print Quality eXchange PQX was a global effort developed by Idealliance, and is now moving to ISO to be issued as a standard. It ...

If you’re a commercial printer who wants to improve color quality and consistency and stay current on industry trends, you need to be aware of Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 can mean different things to different people, but it generally refers to the fourth industrial revolution, which incorporates trends in automation, data exchange, smart systems, and the Internet of Things. Image courtesy of Christoph Roser at AllAboutLean.com. Today I’ll explain what Industry 4.0 means for co...

Earlier this week my colleague, Shoshana Burgett wrote about six manufacturing trends to watch for in 2017. It’s now time to look into my crystal ball and see what trends converters, commercial printers and graphic designers should be following in the next 12 – 18 months. Extended/Expanded Gamut 2017 could be the year where extended gamut printing really breaks out. This year both industry professionals and standards organizations have been taking a look at printing beyond traditional 126...

Our color measurement devices are used by designers, brand owners, formulators, printers, and manufacturers around the world. Ranging from portable handheld devices, to large benchtop instruments, to spectrophotometers mounted inline, they can measure just about anything to help formulate and maintain a perfect color match. Many of our customers, especially those in the paint industry, are asked to color match some pretty interesting things, and we love to hear about them. We recently asked 40 p...

Our society loves customizing its surroundings. Personalized merchandise preserves memories, and when given as a gift, shows the recipient that you put a lot of thought into the choice. It also creates an emotional bond, and (if done right) encourages brand loyalty.  Image courtesy zazzle.com While the personalized merchandise market used to be dominated by photo books and calendars, advances in technology have opened the door to personalizing a wide range of materials like wood, ceramics,...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! A time to reminisce… to celebrate our successes, and to explore areas that may need a little more attention in 2017. If color accuracy is on your list of things to improve, this article is for you. We’ve compiled a list of the blogs our readers found most helpful and interesting in 2016, so you can start working toward your goal of more accurate color in the New Year. Did your favorite blog make the list? Top 10 X-Rite Blogs of 2016 ...

When you walk into a salon for a manicure or visit your favorite beauty products store, are you overwhelmed by the number of nail polish colors to choose from, but can’t actually find the color you want? This is a problem Ashley Morgan set out to solve. Morgan, who has a fine arts degree, has spent the last 15 years designing video games. She’s both creative and tech savvy. “I’m a nail polish advocate, and I don’t mind spending the time choosing a nail polish color,” she says. “But the availabl...

When judging color, background can be a major distraction for the human eye. In fact, surrounding colors and patterns can actually change the perception of the color you’re trying to focus on. One of the wonderful things about color measurement instruments like colorimeters and spectrophotometers is that they can’t be distracted. They aren’t susceptible to variables such as fatigue, age or color vision deficiency. They aren’t even aware that a surround exists – they...

If you’re a commercial printer who wants to improve color quality and consistency, this blog is for you. X-Rite color management solutions for print and packaging deliver excellence in quality control, formulation and automation. Ray Cheydleur is a printing industry veteran of more than 20 years, a standards guru, and our Portfolio Manager for Printing and Imaging Products. Passionate and very knowledgeable about color, he has a talent for helping printers improve their color quality and c...

In color production, mistakes can happen anytime, anywhere… during specification, formulation, manufacturing, assembly, quality control, or (unfortunately) all of the above. Every mistake adds up to wasted time and materials, and stacking errors across a production workflow can get expensive very quickly. How can you stop this error stack from happening? If your job requires you to get color right, spectral data should be your best friend. One of our favorite eLearning courses to help customers...

Passionate about color? We are too. As a company that prides itself on its color knowledge and enthusiasm, X-Rite Pantone is excited about the various ways ArtPrize showcases the power of color. Each fall, ArtPrize installs over 1000 works of art in downtown Grand Rapids, attracting thousands of visitors. By using consistent colors in its guides, signs, banners, flags, and merchandise, ArtPrize creates a colorful map that helps both visitors and locals see the city through a different perspectiv...

Each year Printing News asks their readers which new products made the most difference in their productivity. We’re excited to announce that our very own i1iSis 2 and i1iSis 2 XL are among the winners! These two automated chart readers are the latest members of the popular i1iSis solutions family for pre-press, pre-media, photo, and pressroom color management and profiling. In high production environments such as photo processing, large format, fine art and high-speed digital printing, frequen...

Spectrophotometers are instruments that measure color. Manufacturers use them in every industry where accurate color is important, from paint and plastics to textiles, packaging, and even food. The data captured by spectros allow designers, brand owners, manufacturers, and quality control professionals to precisely communicate color and ensure it stays accurate throughout production. Sometimes I’m asked which color is the hardest to measure and control. Can you guess what it is? Overly s...

Whether it’s using Munsell Color Standards or one of our many color measurement devices, X-Rite helps manufacturers around the world achieve accurate color. We talked to our support team to learn about some of the most interesting ways people have used our equipment to measure and control color. From archeologists to fur traders and gastroenterologists, here are a few of our favorites. In 2014, the city of Los Angeles used one of our handheld spectrophotometers to help remove more than 37 millio...

For many of us, fun in the sun can lead to a summertime tan. The science behind this sun + skin interaction is melanin, a skin pigment our body releases to block the UV rays found in sunlight. The more time we spend in the sun, the more melanin is released, and the darker (or more freckled) our skin becomes. This shift in skin tone doesn’t matter for most people, but for prosthetic wearers even a slight change can be a big deal. Here’s how Royal Preston hospital in the United Kingdom is using co...

If so, we’d like you to know there’s an easier way. An upgrade from the original IntelliTrax, IntelliTrax2 is an automated, non-contact scanning system that makes it easy for busy pressrooms to measure color bars and press sheets without the risk of human error. Adding press-side quality control into your color workflow can shorten your makeready, reduce waste, and help you get to optimum color quality fast. IntelliTrax2 is an ideal color management solution for high-end, high-speed commercial ...

drupa 2016 was such a success! It’s not often we get to spend so much time talking one-on-one with our customers from around the world, and we enjoyed every minute! We met so many wonderful people and learned so many things. Although it’s hard to pick, here are a few of our favorite experiences from drupa 2016. 1 – THE SYNERGY! This time at drupa, we decided to join forces with Esko, Enfocus and Pantone to showcase our end-to–end color management solutions. Although the drupa orga...

When visually evaluating color, everyone accepts or rejects color matches based on their color perception skills. In manufacturing, this subjectivity can lead to confusion and frustration between customers, suppliers, vendors, production, and management. Are these acceptable color differences? This is why color measurement devices are important in so many industries. By measuring colors using a spectrophotometer, you can communicate and compare spectral data for exact results. To aid in color...

Beginning around the 1930’s, the rules of fashion dictated no white before Memorial Day. It was a status symbol, when the wealthy left their winter garments behind and headed to the beach for the summer with their lightweight, carefree clothes. Although the rule still loosely applies, modern day fashion is more concerned with the brightness of your whites than when you start wearing them. So how do manufacturers ensure their products are as white as they can be? Optical brightening agents ...

Drupa starts tomorrow, and we couldn’t be more excited! This year X-Rite Pantone is teaming up with our partners Esko, Enfocus, and MediaBeacon to showcase a number of innovations around digital color communication. The move to digital can make a big impact on a company’s bottom line… read our recent blog to learn how. Covering 900-square meters in Hall 8b, stand A23, our booth includes six print and packaging inspiration zones that walk visitors through an ideal color workflow, from color inspi...

X-Rite Pantone® brings together the art and science of color to empower brands and packaging converters to deliver on design and color intent for their packaging. Last week we were in Atlanta at HOW Design LIVE 2016, introducing a few new tools that can help designers achieve color fidelity. HOW is a more than just a conference for designers and brands – it’s an inspiration-packed, global creative gathering of the industry’s best. This made it the best place for us to showcase Panton...

We’ve all done it. Snapped a picture on a digital camera or smart phone, sent it to the computer, made a few adjustments, then sent it off to print…. only to be disappointed. The sky looks green. Grandma’s hair is purple. The contrast is so far off you can’t even see that cute little puppy. Stupid camera. The struggle is real for so many people, from hobbyist to professional photographers, graphic designers, and professional printers. Let’s look into this all-too-common mystery of the off-color ...

From May 31 to June 10, nineteen exhibition halls in Düsseldorf, Germany will come to life for the print industry’s leading global trade fair – drupa. Those who are lucky enough to attend will get to see and experience new color technologies and innovative concepts. X-Rite Pantone will be among the exhibitors, showcasing our latest print and packaging solutions. Since we know not everyone will be able to attend this event, we’ll keep you updated on what’s happening here, on the blog. Digital mod...

Real or fake? When it comes to medicating children, consumers need to know the products they choose are genuine. When you hear the word counterfeiting, do you automatically think of counterfeit money? Unfortunately counterfeiting goes much farther than that. It’s impacting just about every industry worldwide. It is a huge problem for product integrity and results in financial loss. Estimates put counterfeited and pirated goods at some 2 to 2.5% of world trade, with a value of $600 billion or mor...

You’re at the grocery store, trying to choose a new snack. With so many brands on the shelf, how will you decide? If you’re like most consumers, you’ll probably reach for the most attractive package. Color and packaging play a leading role in brand success, and metallized substrates are more popular than ever. Consumers love them because they convey quality and offer additional strength and protection, but for printers, metallized substrates are expensive and make print color ...

Have you ever walked out of the house wearing two black socks, only to arrive at work and realize one of them is navy blue? If so, you’ve been a victim of metamerism. Metamerism is a phenomenon that occurs when two colors appear to match under one lighting condition, but not when the light changes. Metameric matches are quite common, especially in near neutral colors like grays, whites, and dark colors like these. As colors become lighter or more saturated, the range of possible metameric ...

No matter what you’re manufacturing, taking spectral measurements will help ensure your color remains accurate and consistent throughout your production run. When choosing the best spectro for your needs, your first consideration should be the type of surface you’ll be measuring. Measuring reflective surfaces poses a challenge because the effect of gloss can actually change the color appearance of a sample. The surface reflection of light is what causes the gloss effec...

Today is Earth Day. You know the buzz phrase – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – but do you know what it means for your manufacturing process? Designed by Freepik Here are the top three places in a color workflow that can sabotage a company’s sustainability efforts. Not monitoring color throughout production, which leads to expensive rework and wasted raw materials. Incorrect colorant formulation. Are you using too much? Are you wasting the leftovers? Sending color samples back and forth and long approv...

Physical standards are one of the most precise ways to communicate color in many industries, including textiles, print, automotive, paints, food, chemicals, packaging, and plastics. Many brand owners and designers communicate color expectations using physical standards, and suppliers and manufacturers rely on them to capture spectral data for formulation. While physical standards can be a great help, they can also hurt business if they’re not cared for properly. Today we’ll look at five tips to...

Did you know that many of the products you use every day contain optical brighteners? Optical brightening agents are chemicals that manufacturers add to products like paper, plastics, and textiles to make them appear whiter and brighter, and to lessen the natural yellowing process that happens over time. They also add these chemicals to cleaning agents to enhance the appearance of materials – primarily textiles – after cleaning. Often unacknowledged by the typical consumer, OBAs trick our eyes i...

Sharing a strong passion for how color can transform a face, mood or even an attitude, Pantone® has once again partnered with Sephora, the leading beauty specialty retailer, to create another extraordinary PANTONE Color of the Year cosmetic collection. Launched on December 26th, the SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE collection includes a 24-color eyes palette, a matte lipstick in each color, and a 5-piece lip gloss set. The first SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE collection was released in 2011 with Tangerine...

Which of these swatches would you call bright red? PANTONE FASHION, HOME + INTERIORS Color Specifier pages Speaking the language of color isn’t like giving someone your phone number and expecting they’ll remember it. Our minds just don’t process color like that. While vague color descriptions are sufficient for many people – “Turn left at the blue house” or “choose the reddest strawberries” – if you work in an industry where color is important, you need to know how to speak a much more spe...

Green is green, right? Maybe if you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, but not when your bottom line is impacted by color accuracy. In the color industry, a tolerance is the acceptable amount of difference between a standard (the color you’re trying to match) and a sample (the color you are producing). To determine whether a color is within tolerance, many manufacturers use a color measurement device called a spectrophotometer to measure both colors and compare the difference be...

If you work in an industry where color accuracy is important, you know that lighting plays a huge role in how you perceive color. A light booth is a crucial part of any visual evaluation program. It can help you verify whether the color of your product is acceptable, plus ensure it will remain accurate in every lighting condition after purchase. When parts are manufactured at different factories, a light booth should also be used to make sure they continue to match under any lighting condition o...

It’s no secret that if you can hit your color the first time, you’re going to save a lot of time and money. But with printing becoming an increasingly global function, achieving accurate color is more difficult than ever. Many companies have distributed printing plants or operate in partnership with other printers around the world. A job might start with a brand manager in Los Angeles, move to a designer in Paris, and be sent to three different states to be printed on different substrates. Ever...

Julie Shaffer is Vice President of Education and Marketing Strategies at Printing Industries of America. Each year the PIA organizes a color management conference to bring industry professionals together to learn the latest trends and technologies, network with fellow attendees, and discover how to communicate color effectively. We were lucky enough to sit down with Julie at Color ’15 to learn more about the conference and some of the color challenges printers face today. Listen in as she shares...

Extended gamut printing is becoming more and more popular in the printing industry. With Pantone’s new EXTENDED GAMUT Guide, printers and designers have a visual guide to help predict how close of a match is possible when they use 7-color process in place of spot inks.   Ron Voigt, President of X-Rite Pantone, was recently interviewed on the topic by Cary Sherburne, senior editor at WhatTheyThink.  According to Voigt, the EXTENDED GAMUT Guide helps printers visualize how well Pantone...